Fire-escape.



No. 686,458. Patented Nov. l2, mol. l. JoHNsoN.

FIRE ESCAPE.

@Application led May 31. 1901.! (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheei I.

im: cams Pzvsns en Pvioramna, wAsmunroN. D, c.

l. R. JOHNSON.

FIRE ESCAPE. Application med may 31.A 1901.!

f vPratenf-ed Nov. I2, I90I.

3 Sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

llllllmlm Patented Nov. I2, I90I. I. R. JOHNSON.

FIRE ESCAPE.

kApplication med may 31. 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

NTTED STATES PATENT Finca.

ISAAC R. JOHNSON, OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF FIFTY-ONEONE-HUNDREDTHS TO HENRY WINTHROP GRAY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,458, dated November12, 1901.

Application filed May 31, 1901.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC R. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Newport, in the county of Newport and State of RhodeIsland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire-escapes, and has for oneof its objects to provide a hre-escape which is mounted on wheels andwhich comprises a suitable supporting-base, a platform, and interposedseries of extension-levers, consisting of two side series so connectedthat they will form a rigid support for the platform in its variousextended positions.

Afurther object is to providea fire-escape having a suitablesupporting-base, a platform, interposed series of extension-levers, alturn-table mounted on the platform, and an extension-bridge carried bythe turn-table, so that the bridge may be extended from the platform inany desired direction.

A further object is to provide a fire-escape of the above character inwhich the weight of the platform, its turn-table, and extensionloridgecarried thereby is substantially counterbalanced by means of springsengaging the extension-levers.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 represents the fire-escapemounted on a truck, the several parts being in their contracted orclosed positions. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is aside view of the same with the parts at substantially the limit of theirextended positions. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the escape, the bridgebeing shown extended to one side of the escape.

The supporting-base for the re-escape is shown in the accompanyingdrawings as consisting of a suitable truck having a body 1, the usualseat 2, and front and rear wheels-3 and 4.

The platform of the dre-escape is denoted by 5 and is here shown as ofrectangular form, with a sufficient floor-space to accommodate a numberof persons. Four series of eXtension-levers of the lazy-tongs type areshown as sean No. 62,452. (No modem interposed between the truck-body 1and the platform 5. The two side series of extensionlevers are denoted,respectively, by 6 and 7,

and the two end series are denoted by 8 and 9. 55

These levers are all connected, so as to form a rigid support for theplatform in its several extended positions, in the following manner: Twolongitudinal side bars 10 and 11 are fitted to slide toward and awayfrom the sides of the 6o truck on front and rear cross-bars 12 and 13,mounted in side brackets 14, bolted securely to the top of thetruck-body 1. Two upper longitudinal side bars 15 and 16 are connectedto the upper ends of the front and back seriesof extension-levers 8 and9, and the lower endsof the said levers are hinged to the front and rearends of the lower side bars 10 and 1l, so that when the extension-levers8 and 9 are extended and contracted the two 7o sets of side bars 15 10and 16 1l will be moved toward and away from each other, the side bars10 and 1l being guided in their movements on the cross-bars 12 13. Thelower end of one of the lower pair of levers of the series of sideextension-levers 7 is hinged at 17 to the rear end of the lower side bar11, and the lower end of the other lever of the lower pair is fitted toslide in an elongated groove 18 in the front en d of the said side 8obar. The rear upper end of one of the upper pair of levers of the seriesof extension-levers 7 is hinged on the cross-bar 19, mounted in suitablebearings 20on the bottom of the platform 5, so that the said end mayslide laterally thereon. The forward upper end of the said pair oflevers is fitted to slide laterally upon a cross-bar21,which cross-barismounted to slide longitudinally in an elongated slot `22 Ain a bracket23, carried by the platform 5. 9o

The rear lower end of one lever of the top side pair of levers and therear upper end of one of the leversof the ynext succeeding pair of sidelevers are hinged to slide laterally on a cross-bar 24, extended throughthe upper side in corresponding elongated slots 26 in the roo front endsof the upper side bars 15 and 16. The said upper side bars 15 and 16 aretherefore guided in their inward and outward movements upon thecross-bars 24 25 as the extension-levers are extended and contracted.The said cross-bars 24 and 25 may be provided with suitable springs 27,interposed between their heads and the levers for yieldingly centeringthe front and rearlevers and their connected side levers with respect tothe said bars, if so desired. The series of extension side levers 6 areconnected to the side bars 10 and 15 and the platform 5 in amanner quitesimilar to the connection between the series of side levers 7 and theside bars 11 16 and the said platform. By the arrangement hereinaboveset forth the four series of levers are so connected that they will forma rigid support for the platform in whatever position the platform maybe placed, which support was movable where the lazy-tongs were allmounted on the same or parallel axes, as has hitherto been common.

The means which I employ for positively extending and contracting thelevers is constructed and arranged as follows: A pair of cross-levers 28and 29 are hinged intermediate their ends upon a stud-axle 30, carriedby suitable brackets 3l, secured to the truckbody l. A spool 32 is fixedto a cross-shaft 33, mounted in suitable bearings in the truckbody, fromone side of which spool lead extension-cords 34 35, connected with thelower ends of the levers 28 29, and from the other side of said spoollead contraction-cords 36 37, connected to the upper ends of saidlevers. The upper ends of the said levers are provided with cross-pins38 39, tted to travel in corresponding elongated slots 40 4l in theupper ends of the arms of the lowermost pairs of the series of the twoside levers 6 and 7. The drum 32 may be rotated in either direction byapplying a crank-handle to the shaft 33 or, as is more preferable, thesaid drum may be rotated in either direction through intermediategearing 42, leading to a suitable motor, represented, conventionally, by43, located within the truck-body. As the drum is rotated in onedirection the levers will be extended, and as the drum is driven in theopposite direction the levers will be positively contracted should theweight of the platform not be sufficient to contract the levers when thedrum is disconnected from the motor.

An extensible and contractible bridge is mounted on a turn-table locatedon the platform 5, so that the bridge may be extended in any directionfrom the said platform. The bridge and the turn-table are constructedand arranged as follows: Two series of side extension-levers 44 45 and abottom series of levers 46 are connected at their outer ends to two sideuprights 47 48 and a bottom board 49, from which the uprights project.The bottom board 49 is provided at its opposite ends with brackets 505l, which are fitted to rest upon the sill or other projecting portionof a building to obtain a rest for the outer end of the bridge when thebridge is in its extended position. h The inner end of the two series ofside extension-levers are connected to uprights 52 53, supported bybrackets 54 55, rigidly secured to the turn-table 56. The turntable 56is pivoted upon a bed-plate 57 by means of a central bolt 58. The innerpair of bottom series of extension-levers 46 are pivoted upon a bolt 59,which extends between the turn-table 56 and a top plate 60.

The bridge is positively extended and contracted by the following means:A spool 61 is fixed to a vertical shaft 62, having a suitable handle 63.This spool 61 is located between the turn-table 56 and the top plate 60.Two extension-cords 64 65 lead from one side of the spool to the innerarms of the inner pair of levers of the bottom series of levers 46, andtwo contraction-cords 66 67 lead from the other side of the spool to theouter arms of the said inner pair of levers, so that when the spool isrotated by the handle 63 in one direction the bridge will be extendedand when rotated in the other direction the bridge will be contracted.The handle-shaft 62 being mounted on the turn-table eccentric to itspivot 58 the said shaft may be utilized in swinging the turn-table, andthereby the bridge, into any desired position with respect to theplatform.

For facilitating the access to the platform I provide a plurality ofladder-rungs 68, securely fastened to the sides of the truckbody, theplatform, and the side extensionlevers.

To serve as a partial counterbalance to the weight of the platform andits turn-table and groove, so as to render the raising of the platformeasier, I provide aplurality of counterbalance-springs 69, located inposition to draw the opposite ends of the two series of extension sidelevers 6 and 7 toward each other.

The fire-escape constructed and arranged as above described is veryrigid, thus permitting the platform to be raised to a considerableheight without dangereof upsetting the vehicle. The bridge may beextended in any direction from the platform because of the turn table.The bottom of the bridge is formed by the bottom series ofextension-levers, thus rendering the bridge much more compact than ithas been common hitherto. Furthermore, the means for extending andcontracting the several series of levers is quite simple and effective,means being employed to positively contract the levers as well as topositively extend the same.

The platform is preferably made large enough to permit several personsto be gatha ered thereon when so desired.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form,construction, and arrangement of the several parts without dea partingfrom' the spirit and scope of my in-` vention. Hence I do not wish tolimit myself strictly to the structure herein set forth; but

What I claim is@ 1. In a reescape, a suitable supportings base, aplatform, front and rear series of exe IOO TIO

tension-levers, upper and lower side bars separate from the base andplatform and connecting the upper and lower ends of the front and rearseries and two side series of extension-levers connected with theplatform and the said upper and lower side bars, substantially as setforth.

2. In a fire-escape, a suitable supportingbase, a platform, front andrear series of extension-levers, upper and lower side bars separate fromthe base and platform and connecting the upper and lower ends of thesaid front and rear series, cross-bars on which the upper and lo`werside bars are fitted to slide laterally and two series of sideextension-levers connected with the front and rear series and theplatform, substantially as set forth.

3. In a hre-escape, a suitable supportingbase, a platform, front andrear series of extension-levers, side bars connected with the upper andlower ends ofthe levers, cross-bars carried by the base on which thelower side bars are fitted to slide, cross-bars carried by the platformand by the upper side bars and two series of side extension-leversconnected at their lower ends to the lower side bars and having theirupper ends ttedto slide on the cross-bars carried by the platform and atpoints intermediate their upper and lower ends mounted to slidelaterally on the crossbars carried by the upper side bars, substantiallyas set forth.

4:. In a fire-escape, a suitable supportingbase, a platform, interposedseries of extension-levers and means for positively extending andcontracting the Same comprising a pair of cross-levers having apin-and-slot connection with certain of the extension-levers on theupper arms of the said cross-levers, a rotary spool, extension-cordsleading from one side of the said spool to the lower arms of the saidcross-levers, contraction-cords leading from the other side of the saidspool t0 the upper arms of the said cross-levers, substantially as setforth.

5. In a fire-escape, a platfor1n,'a turn-table mounted thereon,anextension-bridge carried by the turn-table comprising a bottom andsideseries of extension-levers and means carried by the turn-table forextending and contracting the bridge comprising a spool, extension-cordsleading from one side of the spool to the inner arms of the inner pairof bottom extension-levers and contraction-cords leading frompthe otherside of the spool to the outer arms of the inner pair of bottomextension-levers, substantially as set forth.

v 6. In a fire-escape, a platform, a turn-table mounted thereon, anextension-bridge composed of series of extension-levers carried by theturn-table, a Winding-drum mounted on a shaft eccentric to the axis ofthe turn-table, and extension and contraction cords connecting thelevers with the drum for extending and contracting the bridge, and ahandle carried by said drum-shaft for operating the turn-table and thesaid drum, substantially as set forth.

7. In a fire-escape, a platform, a turn-table mounted thereon, a topplate, an extensionbridge having` a bottom series of extensionlevershaving their inner pair pivoted between the top plate and the turn-tableand cords connecting the several arms of the inner pair of bottom leverswith the drum whereby when the drum is operated, the bridge will beextended or contracted, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim thevforegoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of two witnesses, this 22d day of May, 1901.

` ISAAC R. JOHNSON. Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNEs, HENRY' THIEME.

